moving into Bucks, late 11+ to cram for

kitla · Post by **kitla** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 4:08 pm

Hi, we're moving to Aylesbury area in June (recent decision) & my son is year 6. He really wants to get into one of the Grammar schools, he's very bright & is well above his age in most subjects...but...the 11+ is completely new to him & there's alot to cover in a short time. I've down-
loaded some old papers to practise, some of which even we found confusing! I've found ************* an hour away from us, where we can fit in about 8 tutor sessions (these are shared, I cant find any 1 to 1)before he starts his SATs. - then we stop so he doesnt get too stressed.
Is there any other advice anyone can give us?
Depending on when he sits the exam (we cant apply till we've moved in)
we may be able to squeeze more tutoring in after we move. Can anyone
recommend a tutor near Princes Risborough?

Midget Man · Post by **Midget Man** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 4:38 pm

Hi Kitla-Welcome to the forum

I don't have much experience or helpful knowledge for you other than to say that try not to show him your panic/anxiety about not having much time which will hopefully help him learn without any extra pressure.

I guess you won't have been sent the familiarisation pack from Bucks yet then if they won't let you apply to sit the exam yet?

Apparently the IPS papers are good to start with and there are ********* to show you the different method's if that helps you to understand them yourself. My son only had 3 weeks of trying to learn everything and still managed to do it so it can be done and you have alot more time than that.

Good luck and hope the move goe's weel, have you also looked at your other school option's if the GS place does not happen?

Post by **hermanmunster** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 5:03 pm

is your son really in year 6? If so then the exams for the year 6 children have come and gone. They will be going into year 7 at their new schools in September 2010. ... or are you taking the 11 plus as a very late applicant in June this year?

kitla · Post by **kitla** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 5:45 pm

Yes he's applying for a late test, he could take it right up to 31st July
if needed (though we'd never leave it that late)
The grammar school told me there's a high chance of there being places
available if he gets through 11+, as they tend to get used up with the 12+
passers. Its the decent Upper schools that are full up, & thats quite
worrying.

Complete Novice · Post by **Complete Novice** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 8:38 pm

Kitla, I think if your DS is focused and you are using the right materials from word go, you have time. Bucks is multiple choice and uses 21 very specific question types. The publishers that are appropriate are, as was mentioned earlier, IPS, Susan Daughtrey Verbal Reasoning papers 1-8 (sold in 2 packs of 4 NB not her books 1-4 which contain too many types that aren't relevant), Walsh (animal print covers in various lurid shades) Madeline Guyon's Learning Lab series and finally, the 4 VR papers published by GL assessment (formerly known as Nfer). The orange/red IPS Method and Technique Guide is an excellent place to start as it will give you a strategy for each of the 21 types. There is a green Further Practice Questions which is also very good. I used two further IPS books with my DS and now my DD which are their Daily Practice Tests. These have 10 questions on each test and are an excellent way of keeping it all ticking over on busy weeks when there isn't time for a good practice. Don't use Bond assessment papers, they are not relevant for the Bucks exam. Oh and The New First Aid for English available for Waterstones is excellent for those lists of things that they need to know, eg flowers, birds, diminutives etc

The Walsh are slightly harder than the IPS but are good practice especially for difficult vocab. I have a feeling that Patricia who is the Bucks expert on VR has mentioned that the format of some of the maths questions is not identical but I can say it has never confused my DC. Madeline Guyon are even harder I think but again, good practice and sometimes I found it was useful for my DS to battle on through a paper and not quit no matter how bad he was finding it.

Patricia usually recommends the 4 GL assessments test as the final prep before the tests as they most resemble the actual tests (although they only contain 15 question types and not the extra 6, sometimes referred to as HIKNOS as these are their letter names in the technique books).

There are a few other important things to know that aren't always mentioned in the books:

Always do the maths from left to right, Bodmas is not expected to be known and working from the left to the right will give the answer they are looking for.

There are various extra tricky questions that crop up and don't exactly follow the rules shown in the technique books, mirror codes and reverse mirrors spring to mind. It might be a good idea to scour through previous pages of the Verbal Reasoning section to see which types have spawned the most questions and Patricia has usually shown an efficient way to deal with them. I found doing this covered all angles in a way that relying on any one book alone did not do.

Make sure your DS starts using the answer sheet efficiently from word go with a view to helping him save time. Again, this is something that Patricia has posted about in the past in the Verbal Reasoning section.

Wishing you the very best of luck!

CN

kitla · Post by **kitla** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:24 pm

Golly!

So much to take in!
Thanks very much for all that, I shall get shopping straight away!

Post by **patricia** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:43 pm

patricia wrote:
Should you wish to DIY...

The 11 plus exam in Bucks consists of 2 Verbal Reasoning, Multiple choice tests. Each paper has 80 questions to complete in 50 minutes. Your child only needs to pass one of the tests, the average score is no longer used. The school will provide 5 familiarisation sessions [covering the 21 types of questions] followed by 3 practice tests.

The tests are published by GL Assessment [formally NFER].

Publishers which currently cover the 21 types required for Bucks include:
AFN [slightly easier]
IPS,
The Tutors [ middle range difficulty]
Learning Lab
Susan Daughtrey [very close the correct level of difficulty, use packs of 4 tests, NOT her books 1-7],
Walsh, [ [quite hard in some areas]

GL Assessment, who publish the Bucks tests only contain 15 types of questions...it is therefore necessary to practice HIKNOS while completing these tests. [HIKNOS are 6 types as identified by IPS]

I would recommend that you start by buying a method and technique book in order to teach yourself how approach each of the questions [IPS]

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/list.php?ex=85

IPS also publishes a book containing a selection of each type. Before you administer your first test, teach your child the types contained in that test using the IPS additional questions book, continue this method for the first few tests.

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/list.php?ex=90

Use tests in the following order...

1] IPS, 10 tests 50 questions, 30 minutes [shorter tests good to begin with]

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/list.php?ex=88

2] THE TUTORS, 12 tests, 80 questions, 50 minutes...these come as E papers or in packs of 4 [a good middle range of full tests]

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/ ... p?g=f&p=21

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/epaper ... =f&c=1&p=6

3] SUSAN DAUGHTREY [packs of 4 tests only], 80 questions 50 minutes..2 packs each pack contains 4 tests [ nearer to the standard of the real tests]

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/list.php?ex=120

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/list.php?ex=309

4] GL assessment, 4 tests, 85 questions 50 minutes [remember to practice HIKNOS from IPS when completing these tests, also need to cross off the last 5 questions, as the real test only has 80 not 85] A tad easier than the real tests and practiced tests found in school, but good to practice in the same format as the real tests.

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/list.php?ex=14

Between steps 1-4 you could [but do not necessarily have to] use the 2 CDs produced by THE TUTORS, Vol.1 contains 50 questions of each type. Vol.2 contains 12 tests. The real test is not computer based, therefore pen and paper would always be the preferred option. In addition you need a separate paper for working out various questions. However some children like these CDs as a filler in to relieve the 'boredom' of pen and paper.

I would also use Walsh and Learning Lab during session time between tests, particulary towards the end, they are good for Vocabulary. However please note that Walsh use brackets in types I AND G which of course are not used by GL assessment. I tend to cross these off as I do not want to confuse the children.

Do not start until the New Year, between now and then [and for the rest of year 5] ensure your child reads out aloud to you at least 3 times a week, making note of all unknown vocabulary. Vocabulary is without a doubt the biggest problem area. Codes and Maths can be rote learnt. Seeing words out of context will always throw children.

See the following link, for my list of words with an explanation of how to use flash cards as an aid. In addition there is my list of compound words [with games]

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/pdf/11 ... tricia.pdf

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/pdf/11 ... tricia.pdf

There are 4 types of maths questions, they are not rocket science, BUT require an ability to quickly recall the 4 maths operations i.e. adding, subtraction, multiplying and dividing. The quicker the child can recall, the more time can be spent on codes [easy marks, but time consuming] Basically if you ask for 8 x 7 you want the answer 56, now not in 10 seconds time, once they know their times tables inside out and back to front [ up to 12 x] then division becomes easy. Adding and subtraction should be practiced using numbers under 150...try making up games, giving quick fire questions in the car, out for walks etc.

This forum is a wealth of information, look around, take note and get teaching! Any problems just ask, there is always someone willing to help.

Patricia

kitla · Post by **kitla** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 9:33 am

Excuse me for being dim but what is "bodmas"?

kitla · Post by **kitla** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 10:17 am

Another question please.
when I look for GL papers I get "Letts" books first.
I presume they are by the same company, but are they what we
need for VR?
The school uses Letts revision guides for SATs & they're very good.

I've also realised that the books I'm looking at are 2003, I have
found 2010 papers on Amazon but they're out of stock. Would it
make a difference for practice? has the test changed much over the last
few years?

kitla · Post by **kitla** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 10:56 am

Oh dear, here I am back again!
I was looking at the Susan Daughty books. I presume its the Brightsparks
books, not the Graded Test Papers I should be looking at?
The GTP's seem to cover 35 question types!? do I presume that the
Brightsparks ones only cover the 21 relevant Q's? otherwise they may
confuse us even more

(not hard!)

Think I'll go walk the dog & think about something else for a while before
my head pops!!